Ilimanaq

Luxurious comfort in the midst of unspoilt nature. Development thrives within cultural heritage. Visitors meet the locals. In Ilimanaq, opposites meet in the most beautiful way, and a stay at Ilimanaq Lodge is unforgettable.

You should pay a visit to the small settlement, beautifully located on the south side of the Ilulissat Icefjord. Icebergs drift past in Disko Bay, and you should not be surprised if a whale sends its blow into the air or flicks its tail right outside your window. In Ilimanaq you will find Ilimanaq Lodge, a collection of 15 luxury cabins set on the rocks right by the water. In this beautiful settlement you will also find some of the oldest buildings from the colonial era.

World of Greenland writes wonderfully poetically about the place: “Ilimanaq is the scent of burning heather and sizzling trout. Of the salt of the sea and the warmth of the mountain. Of rushing wind and quiet moments.”

World-class icebergs

The journey to Ilimanaq is an adventure in itself. You sail from Ilulissat to the settlement, and on this trip you pass the famous Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Thousands of icebergs reach towards the sky. The most popular excursion in all of Greenland is a boat trip to the mouth of the Ilulissat Icefjord. You get that experience automatically when you sail to Ilimanaq.

Ilimanaq means “expectation” or “probably” in Greenlandic. And you can certainly expect unique nature and cultural experiences in Ilimanaq.

Ilimanaq Lodge south of the Ilulissat Icefjord

Ilimanaq offers the whole colour palette, from brightly coloured settlement houses to the changing shades of the surrounding landscape through the seasons. Ilimanaq is a traditional Greenlandic settlement where people still live from hunting and fishing. In recent years Ilimanaq has become particularly known for the beautiful cabins that make up Ilimanaq Lodge. Here you stay on top of the rocks along the water’s edge, with the most beautiful view over Disko Bay and the enormous icebergs drifting lazily from the Ilulissat Icefjord.

World of Greenland is a subsidiary of Greenland Travel, and together we have built the formidable luxury cabins. You will stay in stylishly furnished cabins built in the summer of 2016. Two listed buildings, the manager’s residence and the trading post, have been restored by Realdania and house the reception and restaurant, as well as a place where locals can sell their catch, a museum and conference facilities.

When you arrive in Ilimanaq, you are welcomed by the black-painted, listed restaurant right by the harbour area. Next to the restaurant is the reception of Ilimanaq Lodge. The restaurant building was originally the home of the former settlement manager, and the reception was an old general store. The manager’s residence dates from 1751 and has had many functions over time: home to priests, missionaries and traders, and it has also served as the settlement office, a skin workshop and much more. There are many stories connected with these old buildings.

The settlement of Ilimanaq

Ilimanaq lies 15 kilometres south of Ilulissat and has approx. 50 inhabitants. The settlement’s former Danish name is Claushavn, and it is named after the Dutch whaling skipper Klaes Pietersz Thorp, who hunted whales in Disko Bay in the years 1719-1732. At that time the area was the most densely populated in Greenland, and small dwelling places were scattered along the coasts.

Besides those already mentioned, Ilimanaq has some of the oldest buildings from the colonial era. The church in Ilimanaq from 1908 has also been renovated and now stands beautifully in a lovely location. In addition there is a fish house, a couple of storehouses, a former coal house and a former blubber-rendering house.

Ilimanaq is one of the smallest settlements in Disko Bay, and it is rich in history – and friendly people. Hunting culture is still a large part of the Greenlandic way of life and everyday life, and this is particularly clear in Greenland’s settlements. The hunter gets up early and takes his boat out to sea, from where he later returns home with, for example, seal and fish.

Kaffemik and cultural exchange

The locals are happy to invite tourists into their own homes for kaffemik, a traditional Greenlandic get-together with coffee and cake. You hear about their lives and tell them who you are and where you come from. Hearing about life in Greenland in a small settlement of 50 inhabitants puts things into perspective.

Hiking

With its hinterland, Ilimanaq is also an unforgettable place for hikers. There are vast expanses and incredible viewpoints, where you get an overview of valleys, fjords, icebergs, and whales and seals in the sea.